Maple Leafs Hope To Snap Losing Streak Versus Sharks

PUBLICATION

January 4, 2018 (3:17 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

"Toronto Maple Leafs 48 pts (23-16-2)
vs
San Jose Sharks 46 pts (21-12-4)
7 p.m. ET
Air Canada Center � Toronto, ON
TV: Sportsnet Ontario
Radio: Sportsnet 590 AM

Season Series/Schedule
Date Game GWG
10/30 TOR 2 @ SJS 3 Joel Ward
1/4 SJS @ TOR

Team Leaders
Maple Leafs Sharks
Auston Matthews, 31 Points Joe Thornton, 27
Matthews/van Riemsdyk, 17 Goals Logan Couture, 19
Rielly/Marner, 24 Assists Brent Burns, 20

The Toronto Maple Leafs are still looking for their first points of 2018 as they enter tonight's game versus the San Jose Sharks on a three-game losing streak and have just three wins and seven points in their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Sharks come in with victories in four of their last five games.
The Sharks won the first meeting between these two teams with a 3-2 victory in San Jose back on October 30. The Leafs goals came from Auston Matthews and Andreas Borgman, the first of NHL career. Frederick Andersen made 38 saves in the loss that saw the Leafs get outshot 41-20.
Mike Babcock is likely to use the same lineup we saw against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, meaning youngster Frederik Gauthier will draw in again over veteran Dominic Moore. Even though the team was shutout by the Bolts, the Leafs played well.
It has been a long time since the Maple Leafs have beaten the Sharks. Their last win came way back on January 29, 2002 when Travis Green, Jonas Hoglund and Bryan McCabe (2 goals) in the victory.

Probable Maple Leafs Lineup
FORWARDS
Zach Hyman - Auston Matthews - William Nylander
Patrick Marleau - Nazem Kadri - Leo Komarov
James van Riemsdyk - Tyler Bozak - Mitchell Marner
Matt Martin - Frederik Gauthier - Connor Brown
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
Morgan Rielly - Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner - Connor Carrick
Andreas Borgman - Roman Polak
GOALTENDER
Frederik Andersen (20-12-1, 2.69 GAA, .921 save %, 3 SO)
INJURY REPORT
LW-Joffrey Lupul (sports hernia), RW-Nikita Soshnikov (lower-body) out, D-Nikita Zaitsev (lower-body) out

Probable Sharks Lineup
FORWARDS
Timo Meier - Joe Thornton - Joe Pavelski
Tomas Hertl - Logan Couture - Joonas Donskoi
Mikkel Boedker - Chris Tierney - Kevin Labanc
Marcus Sorensen - Joel Ward - Melker Karlsson
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
Brenden Dillon - Brent Burns
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Justin Braun
Dylan Demelo - Joakim Ryan
GOALTENDER
Martin Jones (13-9-3, 2.57 GAA, .914 save %, 3 SO)
INJURY REPORT
C-Barclay Goodrow (lower-body) out"

MUST READ